Lost
by thissesshoumaru
Summary: Sarah is lost in a dream and must recover her memory of who she is and fight to return to her home. At times pretty, this fic none the less is a horror fic and will get dark with time. I do not own the labyrinth
1. Chapter 1

The room was blurry, the stars were sill bright to be seen

She wasn't asleep. She wasn't awake. Standing in her long, blue, satin nightdress, Sarah made her way across the room. She could see everything clearly but nothing stood out. She tried to capture what each object meant and nothing came to mind. There was nothing here. Bears, dolls, clothing, shoes and books passed by her line of vision and she couldn't remember what each thing was worth. She couldn't even dismiss them, as surely they meant something. She was in such a stupor, as she reached the mirror, that her image startled her. It was so sharp, so startling and bold. Everything else had been hazy, but she hadn't had anything to compare it to until now. Too bold, she was too sharp. The desire to hide washed over her and then drifted off, leaving her confused as to its origin. What had caused her to feel so suddenly exposed?

The air smelled sweet. She took in it, hesitantly, afraid to acknowledge it and so scared that it would go away. She had to appreciate it before it was truly gone. Her mind was so tired, she could not truly appreciate the scent. Yet, a part of her asked, was it important?

Then the lights turned from white to pink, and the air grew heavy. She closed her eyes and felt her body go limp.

When she woke she felt happy. She didn't know where she was, or what had happened to her, and yet all she could feel was joy. The air was light and she could make out the faint smell of sugar and spices. There was music playing, she was certain of that. She couldn't hear the music so much as she could feel it. She strained to listen, but she could hear nothing. It was all going on in her mind and her mind knew it was there, even if her ears couldn't pick up on it.

She stood and examined what she could see of herself. She was still wearing a satin gown, but it was white, a wedding gown? She stroked it lovingly, her eyebrows furrowed, her lips trying to work out the right words to express her emotional state. Was she to marry, and if so who would be her husband? She felt some fear but it was only in the background and her mind couldn't quite grasp it well enough to pull it forward.

"Where am I?"

He hand came to her mouth and she felt, for a moment, alarm. Why she felt this way and what it meant was unclear to her, and as soon as the feeling had come, it had also gone.


	2. Chapter 2

She closed her eyes, and tried to feel the blanket around her body, the heat of her breath hitting the sheets. She visualized her bedroom. She tried to rouse enough fear to wake her, but there was so little fear to be called upon.

Up ahead there was a full-length mirror, sunk further into the dirt on the right side than the left. A symbol was drawn in the sand, a sideways eight. That meant something as well. This all meant something.

She moved towards the mirror, but the sweetest sorrow overcame her and she fell to her knees. She cried then, not knowing why and her insides ached. Even as waves of pain were released, the space was filled again. Where had all of this pain come from? She was birthing the sorrows that she had buried long ago, and this sweetness protected her, serving as a balm to her raw nerves. She gave her heart to the ground and stood, on shaking legs, to observe a wall, which she reached out to and steadied herself against. She was not outside anymore, but enclosed, in a room no larger than an elevator shaft. The room had walls so white, she feared for that which would one day stain them. Her mind did not contain the right images, she knew, to guess at what would cover these walls one day. Her own guesses, fell short. She could not hope to understand.

She turned to face the door, so simple in its design and yet, she wondered if it would work as most doors did. The knob was there, but she could see no sign of a lock. She looked to the ground and saw only white, tile floor. There was a knock, and then another.

She meant to say hello, but no sound escaped her lips.

"Well aren't you going to let me in Sarah."

Then panic.

"I'm afraid that I've forgotten how to breathe," She said, mostly to herself.

Her chest hurt, he vision blurred. She had to act, but what could she do. She had once been told to create a lock, a chosen symbol to seal off the world of her dreams from others. Who had taught this to her? A symbol that no one else could know would create a pocket in her mind, in which she could hide.

She did not remember the symbol, but when she looked down, she was drawing something on the palm of right her hand. She watched herself for a moment. The symbol was not familiar. She bent down, placing her hand on the floor, where she continued to draw.

"Sarah, let me in," his tone was inpatient, his voice loud, cutting into her concentration.

She closed her eyes, her hand continuing to draw the symbol. She felt something click in her mind as the door was forced open. His let out a roar, ripping through her effect.

He destroyed her magic, easy as a hand could destroy a spider web.

It would have been appropriate to drop to her knees then and sob, but her tears had left her already and she had no more pain to give, no more sorrow. The tears that had cleansed her before left her fearless now, standing emotionally naked before this stranger.

"What is the game now?"

"No game," he shrugged, taking a moment to smooth out his shirt, "this is your first test."

"Have I passed?"

He shook his head.

"The test has just begun."


	3. Chapter 3

She ran, not expecting to get away, but needing to get herself somewhere where she could breathe again. She stopped for a moment, when she realized that no one had followed her.

She started to walk, through a sea of strange flowers, deep red and blue in color that made her think of swimming through a river of blood. The sun was glaring now, and so she kept her eyes on the blood, and moved, away from her awful dream. Her hope, that spark that had told her that as long as you keep walking you'll find yourself in new circumstances, died as she realized that she had made no progress at all. The sea of blood went on forever.

She looked up then, into a softer sky and took a moment to breathe. That was what she had wanted after all. She had come this far to remember how to breathe. "Oh this is just NOT FAIR!"

Jareth rose out of the flowers, a soft smiling playing on his face. When his eyes met her own, the expression was anything but playful.

"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have," she faltered, "

"For my will is as strong as your and my kingdom as great. YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!"

Jareth who had been waiting patiently until then burst out laughing. Sarah was shocked by his reaction, and a little embarrassed. Her cheeks turned pink. She waited for his laughter to stop, then waited for an explanation.

He started laughing again.

"Oh, Sarah, that won't do. As I've told you once, this is no longer a game. Memorizing lines will not save you."

"I have a question," Sarah asked, taking a step toward Jareth, "what am I doing here?"

Jareth grinned and seemed to be lost in thought for some time. He seemed to be debating whether or not to answer her question.

"Toby is in the mimicking stage now, as you well know. Since you wished him away, he's been wishing all sorts of things away. I don't really want his diaper, or your bears, and so I've coached him on what to say. We had so much fun and I helped him to associate that fun with wishing you away. It took a bit of time to get you here but, I am very patient."

Sarah gasped.

"But, he won't run the labyrinth. He won't save me."

Jareth shrugged.

"Perhaps not, but" he reached out and lightly knocked her chin, so that she met his gaze, "if he wishes himself away, you'll have company."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth

She held up a hand reflexively. She had heard a voice, soft and female.

Jareth inclined his head, stopping to listen as well, then smiling knowingly.

"Lost, I am lost in a silent, flowing tide."

"Who is that," Sarah tried to look in direction that the voice was coming from, "where is she?"

Jareth sighed.

The voice went on.

"And I let myself be forgotten. To all sane mind I am dead.

The mad hear my thoughts and I sing in their minds."

"I wouldn't pay too much attention to her if I were you."

Sarah glared at him. "But she's suffering," she continued to search for the source of that voice, turning herself in circles, "you know who she is?"

He nodded.

"My futile existence," the voice was increasing in volume and intensity, "My eyes are bleeding! Make it all go away."

"Help her Jareth!" She turned to face him. "Why won't you help her?"

He took a deep breath, then turned and walked away. Before he disappeared from sigh he turned back to Sarah.

"I think that it would best if you go and find out that answer for yourself."

Sarah wanted to go to the woman, to comfort her, but she could still to figure out which way to go.

"Where are you? I'm coming."

"My bones will escape their fleshy prison," the voice was raw now, "oh me. Oh my."

Sarah closed her eyes.

"Bring me to you lady."

Then she was there, under the water. She started to panic until she realized that she could breathe. Just ahead of her in the water was the most beautiful, ugly woman that she had ever seen. Her image was grotesque and captivating. Her eyes were large and bright, but warped, surrounded by thick back goop. Her mouth was red, with sharp angles and sharp little teeth that appeared when she smiled. Her smile was not kind, more like a grimace. Her body was long and lean and almost impossible to make it, as it blended with the water around her.

"I am lost," the woman said, "deep in sorrow."

Sarah frowned.

"What do you need to be free?"

The woman sobbed. "Oh, we'll never be free. But you may sink with me into deepest despair. Come to me laaaady."

"Do you not want to be free?"

The woman hummed, her eyes closed for a moment.

"Free? Free? Come to me laaady."

Sarah looked up to the surface of the water. When she did the woman was upon her, seizing her body and dragging her deeper underwater. Sarah was warm, so warm, as she felt her flesh meld to the woman's. She could breathe but she was drowning. She screamed.

"Jareth, help me. Help me, please."


End file.
